How to Switch Your Jeep From 2-Wheel Drive to 4-Wheel Drive

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Shift into 4-wheel drive high and low with these simple instructions

Co-authored by Nick Psaros and Devin McSween

Last Updated: February 8, 2024 Fact Checked

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Putting Your Jeep in 4-Wheel Drive High

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Putting Your Jeep in 4-Wheel Drive Low

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Going Back to 2-Wheel Drive

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Expert Interview

One of the best parts about owning a Jeep is its 4-wheel drive that can take you offroad and onto bumpy, thrilling trails. But if you’re not sure how to take your Jeep out of 2-wheel drive and into 4-wheel drive, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll show you how easy it is to shift into 4-wheel drive high and low using your Jeep’s transfer case shifter lever. The best part is that these instructions work for most Jeep models like the Wrangler, Cherokee, and Gladiator. Read on to get your Jeep into 4-wheel drive!

Things You Should Know

Find your Jeep’s transfer case shifter lever to the left of your car’s gear shift. The lever is labeled with “2H,” “4H,” “N,” and “4L.”
To put your Jeep in 4-wheel drive high, place it in park, or drive it under 40 mph (64 kph). Then, pull the transfer case shifter lever from “2H” down to “4H.”
To put your car in 4-wheel drive low, drive around 2 to 3 mph (3-5 kph). Put your car into neutral then pull the shifter lever down to “4L.”
Put your Jeep back in 2-wheel drive by driving around 2 to 3 mph (3-5 kph) and pushing the shifter lever all the way up to “2H.”

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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Putting Your Jeep in 4-Wheel Drive High

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Find your Jeep’s transfer case shifter lever to the left of the gear shift. Your Jeep switches from 2-wheel drive to 4-wheel drive using the transfer case shifter lever. This is the lever next to the driver’s seat and to the left of your gear shift, or the lever that puts your car into park, drive, and reverse. You’ll know you’re looking at the transfer case shifter lever because it’ll have “2H,” “4H,” “N,” and “4L” written on the top of the lever.^{[1]
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- Most cars use 2-wheel drive, which is best for daily commuting on hard pavement. In 2-wheel drive, your car is only powering 2 wheels to move. This provides enough energy to get your other 2 wheels spinning.
- 4-wheel drive high is great to use when roads are rainy, icy, or rocky. When your car gives power to all 4 tires, you have better traction and control.^{[2]
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- If you have a Jeep with part-time 4-wheel drive, only use 4-wheel drive high on slick, wet surfaces. Using it on dry ground can overheat your car.
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Start your car and keep it in park. To put your Jeep into 4-wheel drive high, your car needs to be on. Simply stick your key in the ignition to start your engine and leave your car in park.^{[3]
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- Or, drive your car under 40 mph (64 kph). The great thing about Jeeps is you can also switch to 4-wheel drive high as you’re driving. This comes in handy when roads become slick with rain or snow.^{[4]
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Pull the transfer case shifter lever to “4H” and drive. Whether in park or cruising under 40 mph (64 kph), simply pull the transfer case shifter lever down to “4H.” A “4WD” signal on your dashboard should light up, confirming that your Jeep is now in 4-wheel drive high.^{[5]
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- Before shifting to “4H” while driving, take your foot off the gas. Not accelerating as you're shifting helps the transfer case shifter switch to 4-wheel drive quicker.
- If your Jeep has a manual transition, press on the clutch pedal as you shift from “2H” to “4H.”

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Putting Your Jeep in 4-Wheel Drive Low

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1
Start your car and drive between 2 to 3 mph (3-5 kph). When shifting into 4-wheel drive low, your car can’t be in park or moving at high speeds. Instead, it needs to be rolling slowly so the shifter gears can mesh together. To do this, just start your Jeep’s engine and drive very slowly, about 2 to 3 mph (3-5 kph).^{[6]
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- 4-wheel drive low is only used when you’re going slow but need more torque, or pulling power. You might need to drive over mud while hauling a trailer, or make a steep climb over rocks. Going into 4-wheel drive low gives you the power, traction, and control to carefully maneuver the terrain.
Once you’re at a slow roll, take your foot off the gas. Then, shift your car from drive to neutral. This helps you maintain the slow speed and prevents you from accidentally going faster.^{[7]
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Pull the transfer case shifter lever all the way down to “4L.” Quickly pull the shifter lever from “2H,” “4H,” “N,” and down to “4L.” When you successfully shift to 4-wheel drive low, your dashboard will light up with a warning that the electronic stability control is off. This automatically turns off when you’re in 4-wheel drive low to give you the control to drive offroad.^{[8]
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- For Jeeps with manual transitions, press on the clutch pedal as you pull the lever.
- If your shifter lever sticks or resists going to “4L,” just put your car into drive and give it a little more gas. Then, put it back into neutral and pull the lever down.
- Do not drive faster than 25 mph (40 kph) when in 4-wheel drive low. This mode is only meant for low speeds.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Going Back to 2-Wheel Drive

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Drive your Jeep between 2 to 3 mph (3-5 kph) while it’s in “4L.” Just like shifting into 4-wheel drive low, your car needs to be rolling at a low speed when you shift out of it. If you were driving, just press on the brakes to reduce your speed to about 2 to 3 mph (3-5 kph).^{[9]
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- If you’re starting from 4-wheel drive high instead of low, just push the shifter level up to “2H” while driving under 40 mph (64 kph). Or, put your car in park then push the lever up.
When you reach a low speed, quickly put your car in neutral. Then, push up on the transfer case shifter lever to shift from “4L,” back to “N,” and finally to “4H.”^{[10]
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To get back to 2-wheel drive from 4-wheel drive high, just push the transfer case shifter all the way up. The “4WD” light on your dashboard should turn off, showing you that your car successfully returned to 2-wheel drive.^{[11]
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